Enameled-plate cover structure



Patented Oct. 8, 1929 EQE PATENT WILLIAM A. HALL, OF PORTSMOUTH,VIRGINIA ENAMELlED-PLATE COVER STRUCTURE.

Application filed March 5, 1928. Serial No. 259,328

This invention relates to an improvement in enameled plate coverstructures such as are employed in the manufacture of tables and kitchencabinets.

In its more specific aspect, the invention comprises a skeleton frame,an enameled plate of conventional design, and a compressible cushionmember adapted to be positioned intermediate the skeleton frame and theenameled plate.

It is an object of the invention to provide an enameled plate coverstructure which will be comparatively rigid, one in which the enameledplate cannot buckle or spring, and

which will be noiseless in use.

Many attempts have been made to produce enameled plate cover structuresin which the enameledplate will not buckle when pressure is applied tothe plate. It has been proposed to wedge the skeleton frame within thedownwardly turned flangesof the enameled plate, it being claimed forsuch method that the enameled plate is thus stretched and any bucklingtendency destroyed.

In actual operation this method fails utterly since when an attempt ismade to place the metal of the plate under suflicient tension to preventbuckling, the enameled surface is checked and cracked, particularlyalong the edges of the plate where the wedging pressure is of necessityapplied; Furthermore the plate cannot be placed under sufficient tensionto prevent the same from springing when pressure is applied centrally ofthe plate.

It is, therefore, a further object of the pres ent invention to overcomethese defects in the prior art structures by the provision of means forpositively preventing buckling of the enameled plate and for causing theen- 4 ameled plate to have a firm and noiseless contact with thesupporting frame structure throughout its entire area.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembled structure, showing theparticular form of enameled plate employed;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, showingthe enameled plate slightly separated from the frame structure;

Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the skeleton frame structure Fig. 5 is areverse plan view of the enameled plate, showing the compressiblecushion member in place therein.

iieferring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the enameled metalplate, which is provided with the hollow channel 2 extending around theperiphery thereof and having the straight downwardly extending flange 3.This enameled plate 1 is secured to the skeleton supporting framestructure by means of screws 4. The skeleton frame is formed from twoside members 5, the end members 6, and the cross bars 7. The side bars 5are longitudinally grooved along their inner edges as shown at 8, andreceive in the groove 8 the mort-ised ends 9 of the end members 6 andcross bars 7 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1-. It is to beparticularly noted that the sidemembers 5 and the end members 6 are eachprovided along the outer edge of the upper surface thereof with theupwardly projecting portion 10, which is of a width and thickness justadequate tofill the hollow channel 2 of the plate 1, (see Figures 2 andThe side members 5 and the end members 6 are of suflicient width toprovide substantial bearing surfaces 11 for the plate 1 interiorly ofthe hollow channel 2. It will thus be seen that when the plate 1 ismounted on the frame and pressure applied to the edge of the plate, thesame is brought into solid contactwith the surfaces 10 and 11' of theside and end bars. The provision of the upwardly projecting portions 10is of particular importance in the combination.

The provision of these upwardly projecting portions 10 is importantsince in the absence of such portions, pressure along the edge of theenameled plate is not positively resisted but is dissipated in atendency to buckle the plate. By employing the upwardly projectingportions 10 in combination with the bearing surfaces 11, the entireperiphery of the enamled plate has a firm non-yielding contact with theskeleton frame.

The end members 6 are also provided along their inner sides with theledges 12 (see Figure 2). The upper surfaces of the ledges 12 aresomewhat below the plane of the bearing surfaces 11 while the uppersurfaces of the cross bars 7 are in substantially the same plane as thebearing surfaces 11. A relatively'compressible cushion and sounddeadening member 13 of any suitable material possessing these qualitiesis adapted to have its ends received and supported in the ledges 12. Thecentral portion of the cushion member 13 passes over the upper surfacesof the cross bars 7. This cushion member 13 is of such width that itdoes not project over the bearing surfaces 11 of the side members 5.

Since the upper surfaces of the ledges 12 are lower than the surfacebearings 11 and since the upper surfaces of the cross bars 7 are insubstantially the same plane as the sur faces 11, it will be apparentthat the central portion of the compressible cushion member 13 normallylies in a plane above the ends thereof. Due to the compressiblecharacter of the member 13, the plate 1 when brought into position withrespect to the skeleton frame has any buckling tendency thereof taken upby the member 13.

The member 13, it will be noted, is tightly compressed between thecentral portion of the enameled plate 1 and the cross bars 7 of theskeleton frame, thus preventing the plate 1 from buckling when pressureis applied centrally of the plate. Furthermore, the metallic sound ofthe enameled plate is deadencd so that the structure is renderedsubstantially noiseless in use.

When the structure is to be assembled, the member 13 has its ends placedin the recesses which provide the ledges 12 and the plate 1 is thenforced down over the frame into po sition, thus compressing the member13 and compensating for the buckling tendency of the plate. If desired,the member 13 instead of being first affixed to the frame, may beproperly positioned on the lower surface of the plate 1 and affixedthereto by suitable adhesive, as shown in Figure 5. When the plate 1 isplaced over the frame, and compressed down thereon, it will be notedthat the hollow channel 2 is brought into firm contact with theprojecting portions 10 of the frame members 5 and 6, see Figure 3, whilethe bearing surfaces 11 prevent the application of pressure along theedges of the plate 1 from imparting a buckling strain on the centralportion of the plate. The cushion member 13 compensates for the bucklingtendency naturally in the place 1, prevents buckling under pressure, andeliminates the noise so objectionable in enameled plate coverstructures.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a novelstructure which can be economically produced and which eliminates theobjectionable buckling of the enameled plate, which has heretoforematerially shortened the period of usefulness of enameled plate coverstructures.

What I claim as my invention is: V

1. An enameled plate cover structure comprising an enameled plate, askeleton frame having bearing surfaces for said plate in two parallelplanes, a cushion member of less area than said plate adapted to rest onsaid frame, the central portion of the cushion member normally lying ina third plane parallel to said two planes.

2. An enameled plate covered structure comprising an enameled platehaving a hollow peripheral channel, a frame having side and end members,said side and end members each having an upward projection of suchdimensions as to be received in said hollow channel, said side and endmembers also being provided with bearing surfaces for contact with saidplate interiorly of said hollow channel, cross bars carried by saidframe and a compressible cushion member adapted to be disposed betweensaid cross bars and said plate to compensate for any buckling tendencyof the plate.

3. An enameled plate covered structure comprising an enameled plate andskeleton" entire lower area of said plate interiorly of said channel, aportion of said cushion member being compressed between a part of saidsubstructure and said enameled plate.

. WILLIAM A. HALL.

